How to get to the spice Sightseeing in La Spezia - what to see. A complete guide to iconic places. Interesting places around La Spezia

Spice (La Spezia)- a port city in the eastern part of c. In addition to its touristic focus, La Spezia is the center of the Italian military industry, one of the largest commercial and military harbors in Italy. From here there are direct ferries to and the coast.

Getting to La Spezia:

By train:

La Spezia Central Station - La Spezia Centrale. Trains arrive in La Spezia from Rome, Naples, Pisa, Florence, Parma, Milan, Genoa, Savona, Turin… Italian trains website

By bus:

• Buses in the La Spezia region: www.atcesercizio.it.

Attractions Spice:

La Spezia Castle

In La Spezia, the castle of St. George - Castle of San Giorgio - 13th century. Until the beginning of the 17th century, the castle was rebuilt several times. The castle now houses an archaeological museum, which, among other things, exhibits finds from the Etruscan era.

Naval arsenal

The Naval Arsenal of La Spezia was built in the middle of the 19th century by the naval engineer Domenico Chiodo, whose monument was erected in front of the entrance to the arsenal. Now the Arsenal has a naval museum.

Ancient churches of La Spezia:

In La Spezia, several ancient churches have been preserved: the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (XIII century), the church of Sts. John and Augustine (1797), the Church of St. Stephen (XIII century, but only one wall has survived from that time), the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1897-1901, made in the neo-Byzantine style).

Chiesa di Santa Maria Della Assunta

The collegiate church of Santa Maria della Assunta - Assumption of the Virgin Mary - dates back to the 13th century. Inside you can admire a significant series artwork who were brought here from the abolished churches. Among them are the Coronation of the Virgin Mary by Andrea della Robbia, the Multiplication of Loaves by Giovanni Battista Casoni, and the Martyrdom of St. Bartolomeo" by Luca Cambiaso.

Amadeo Lia Museum

The Aamadeo Lia Museum, housed in a former Franciscan monastery from the 17th century, displays a collection of Middle Ages and Renaissance art.

Museums of Spice:

• Ubaldo Formentini -Civil Museum in the castle of st. George (Museo del Castello di San Giorgio - Museo civico archeologico)
• Palazzina delle Arti and the Seal Museum(palazzina delle Arti e Museo del Sigillo)
• Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art(Centro d'arte moderna e contemporanea, CAMeC)

Where the urban landscape gives off a little medieval gloominess and dampness and here is La Spezia. small town on the coast of the Ligurian Sea speaking name.

How to get to La Spezia

The most popular and, in my opinion, convenient transport in Italy is the railways. We traveled from Florence by train with a transfer. It's a little cheaper by bus.

History of La Spezia

The city is still often called La Spezia in the French manner, which is not surprising, since Napoleon Bonaparte, who captured Liguria in 1797, gave life to this place as a city. Before that, this place was essentially a village. The emperor was struck by the beauty of these places and the bay, which he called one of the most beautiful in the world. From a military point of view, the bay was also perfect place. The rapid development of the city began already in the 19th century, when shipyards and factories were built.

Attractions La Spezia

The city is really bright, multi-colored like a set of spices: from saffron to pravan herbs, literally immersed in the greenery of palm trees and orange trees. Spezia is very different from the Tuscan cities.

Maybe because, although the city is located near the border with Tuscany, it belongs to another region - Liguria and is traditionally considered the eastern tip of the Riviera. The city does not hide its affiliation at all. famous resort millionaires. Rich villas and houses, parks, a beautiful embankment and yachts - all this clearly indicates the status of an aristocratic city. And at the same time, all this does not create a feeling of excess and pathos. The villas are luxurious but in moderation, the yachts are beautiful but not bulky, the people are rich but not arrogant. Five-meter fences, barbed wire and gloomy guards are not here. In general, in its appearance, the city reminded me of Barcelona, ​​but in a smaller form. Just the creations of Gaudí are not enough. Undoubtedly, the city looks different in summer. Crowds of vacationers will surely occupy the embankment and adjacent parks. But in November, the city is empty, peace, silence and appeasement reign. Perhaps it is at this place that it is worth confessing ... In general, we did not plan to study La Spezia at all and were heading to the Cinque Terre. This is a natural reserve, which includes 4 villages.

According to reviews seasoned tourists and photographs, I concluded that it was really very interesting and beautiful place. You can get to the reserve by train. At the La Spezia station there are several small tourist offices where they will be happy to tell you and show you how to get to the Cinque Terre. You can use the services of ordering excursions online and book everything in advance by agreeing with a Russian-speaking guide.

However, we didn't get there. The reason is quite banal - they took a walk, relaxed on the embankment and there was no point in going to the reserve, given the short autumn days.

Therefore, we will leave a visit to the Cinque Terre for the next trip to Italy, which, I hope, will definitely take place. There is probably no point in hiring a guide for Spice itself. This city is interesting, rather, just as a pleasant resort for walking.
Among the sights of the city of La Spezia, all guidebooks, first of all, note the Castle of San Giorgio, which was rebuilt more than once until the beginning of the 17th century.

Ship family

However, Spice came to my taste not because of ancient monument, she attracted with some kind of naturalness, the lack of places that attract tourists all year round, which Florence and Pisa, for example, “sin” with. It seems that here you can see what real Italy is and how people live in this country.

Orange grove on the main street of the city

The landscape of the city, however, does not look like sheer glamour, as it might seem at first glance. Villas and well-maintained houses here contrast with fishing boats and their owners, who, however, give only color to the city.

Once he threw a net into the sea, - A net came with one slime.

What to try in La Spezia

A city with such a telling name should definitely have something unusual and original in its arsenal, especially in the kitchen. After all, it is worth remembering that the city was founded by a Frenchman, and the cuisine of this nation is no less important than for Italians.

I call the cuisine here according to the region - Ligurian. And she really absorbed both traditional Italian cooking principles and French motives. But the most important thing in it is the products used. For Italian traditional cuisine, it is generally traditional that in each region a particular dish depends on the available this region products and their seasonality. That is, we cook from what grows, swims, flies or runs around my house. So it is with Ligurian cuisine, which is very low in fat, it can even be called vegetarian. For cooking here they use a lot of legumes, dried and salted cod, chestnuts, mushrooms, truffles. Farinata di ceci is one of the most traditional Ligurian dishes.

This is a flatbread cooked in a wood-fired oven. The dough is based on pea flour. Despite the simplicity of the ingredients, this is a very tasty dish. Soup (Panissa) is also made from pea flour. It is also worth trying Ligurian minestrone (minestrone ligure) - a soup made from various kinds vegetables, mushrooms, beans and parmesan cheese with olive oil.

La Spezia(Italian: La Spezia) is a city that is the capital of the province of La Spezia. It is located on the Ligurian coast, which, in turn, is located in the northwest of the Italian Republic.

If you find La Spezia on a map of Italy, you can see that the city is separated from the Tuscany region by only a few kilometers, and the city itself is located just in the middle of, perhaps, one of the most picturesque routes in Italy - Genoa - Pisa.

Location of La Spezia on the map of Italy

The population is 95600 people.
La Spezia is primarily a port in Italy, and not just a trade and passenger port, but also a military-strategic one. The city's harbor is called the Gulf of Spice (Italian: Golfo della Spezia).

Oddly enough, but La Spezia was not always Italian. In 1797, Napoleon, realizing what an advantageous position a village with two or three thousand inhabitants then occupied, captured La Spezia.

It was at this very time that a port appeared in the harbor, shipyards for the construction of ships, and by the beginning of the 19th century, rapid construction began in the city itself.

La Spezia became part of Italy only in 1861.

Main routes to and from La Spezia

How to get to La Spezia

First of all, the fact that La Spezia is located in the north of Italy implies a very developed transport network. But the city is also a commercial, military and tourist center and a port, which further increases the chances of a quick and convenient way to arrive in this corner of Italy.

Airplane. The closest airport to La Spezia is Genoa Airport. Directly from the airport, you can get to La Spezia by train, train in 1 hour 50 minutes.

Port. In La Spezia, cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi Pier. To the city center, the trip time is limited to only 15 minutes by a port transfer, and free of charge.

You can get to La Spezia by cruise ship

Railway. The La Spezia railway station belongs to the Genoa - Rome branch, which means that it is also easy to get from the cities of this direction by train.

From Milan, the travel time by train is 4 hours and a little (27-45 euros), from Turin and Pisa you can also come by train.

Routes from La Spezia

Let's talk about the most popular routes for tourists from La Spezia.

How to get from La Spezia to Portovenere:

How to get from La Spezia to Sestri Levante:

• The most convenient way to travel is by train from the central station of La Spezia. There are 20 flights a day, the travel time will be 30 - 50 minutes, the ticket price is 4.25 - 5 euros. Tickets can be booked in advance;
• On a motor ship or a boat that runs between nearby tourist towns.

How to get from La Spezia to the Cinque Terre:

• In the entire park, traffic by car is limited, therefore, it is better to get there by a suburban train, the Genoa-Spezia line, the journey takes only 10-15 minutes. The stations of Riomaggiore and Monterosso are the largest and most suitable in the Cinque Terre for arriving tourists;
• It is possible to drive along the serpentine road on small buses, minivans;
• It is possible to sail to the Cinque Terre by boats or motor ships.

How to get from La Spezia to Portofino

To Portofino, as well as to many other places of interest for tourists, it is best and most convenient to get from the city of La Spezia from the central station La Spezia Centrale.

From there, take the train to the central station of Portofino - Santa Margherita Ligure Portofino.

The journey will take about an hour, costing 6.30 - 14 euros.

How to get from La Spezia to Pisa Airport
Pisa airport should also be departed from the central station La Spezia Centrale. From there, take the train to Aeroporto internazionale Galileo Galilei Pisa, travel time 1.20 min - 1.45 min. The cost is 6.60 - 12.30 euros.

How to get from the port of La Spezia to Florence (by train)
Often, passengers arriving on cruise ships in the port of La Spezia choose Florence as their next travel destination. How to get from the port to the beautiful pearl of Tuscany?
Cruise ships arrive at the Molo Garibaldi pier. Passengers are transported to the main points of the city of La Spezia on port transfers, they are mostly free.
You need a transfer to get to the central station of La Spezia - La Spezia Centrale. Buy a train ticket to Florence (Italian Firenza) at the station (you can also do it in advance on-line), ticket price 13.50 - 19.10 euros, travel time 2.10 - 2.50 hours.

Where to stay in La Spezia

The most economical and convenient way is to book a room, apartment, villa (whatever you like) on a special website on the Internet.

Homeowners rent their apartments without intermediaries, so the prices are the most reasonable.

If you want to relax in the most comfortable conditions, see the most picturesque views from the window, drink good coffee in the morning, then you should stay in La Spezia hotels, which have proven themselves from the best side:

Kitchen

Many tourists choose La Spezia as an intermediate point for moving to other major cities.

But even if you are only one day in this port city, it is simply unacceptable not to try a typical La Spezia dish - Pizza Forinata.

This is pea flour pizza.

Pizza Forinata with pea flour

The dough is poured into a huge frying pan and fried for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to sprinkle with black pepper. The cost of a serving is 2-2.5 euros.

The location by the sea explains the predominance of seafood in the local cuisine.
Dishes from the freshest mussels, anchovies and other seafood are everywhere offered by restaurants on the coast:

• Zuppa di cozze- tomato soup with mussels;
• Fritto misto- a set of various types of fish and shellfish, deep-fried;
• Acciughe al lemon- anchovies marinated in lemon juice, served with olive oil;
• Muscoli ripieni- stuffed mussels in red tomato sauce.

Tomato soup with fresh mussels

And of course, because La Spezia is Italy, how could it be without a local dessert, Dolce - “sweets”?

Here, the traditional sweet treat is castagnaccio (Italian Castagnaccio).

This is a fragrant dessert, chestnut flour cake with dried grapes and pine nuts.

What to see in La Spezia in 1 day

Yes, most often, La Spezia for travelers is just a port, a transit point on the way to the following sights of Italy.
What can you see in La Spezia in a short time and not remain indifferent to what you see:

Interesting places around La Spezia

The surroundings of La Spezia are just a storehouse for an amateur natural beauties and connoisseur of historical heritage. Famous places are:

Beaches around La Spezia

Italy has all the conditions for a comfortable beach holiday. This is the azure sea, these are beaches for every taste: both with sandy and with a stone entrance. It is clean air and beautiful vegetation.

Of course, the sea and the wonderful weather of La Spezia are the best place for a beach holiday.

Even in winter there are no temperatures below 0C, because the Ligurian mountains cover the coast from cold winds. Well, in summer the temperature does not rise above 37 degrees, also because of the protection of the mountains. The best time to visit sea towns and beaches is from May to October.

Several beaches in the province of La Spezia are considered unusually beautiful and picturesque.
Examples of these beaches are:

Events in La Spezia

Staying in La Spezia, you can not only visit historical and simply beautiful and interesting places, taste and appreciate local cuisine, there is an opportunity to participate in numerous holidays and festivals:

• On October 30, on Via Fortezza Sardzana in the fortress of Sarzanello, Halloween is held for children. Dinner, tunnel of horror, themed games inside the fortress;
• Since 1969, the International Jazz Festival has been annually gathering thousands of fans of this musical genre in the Villa Marigola park, in public gardens, at the Alberto Picco Stadium;
• March 19 is the Festival of St. Giuseppe. At this time, more than 600 shops with their products and crafts open;
• On the first Sunday of August, the Sea Festival is held, and simply - a regatta.

Even one day spent in the city of La Spezia will show the contrast between the luxury of villas, parks, gardens and fishing boats, fishermen moving their fishing gear here and there. This is exactly the look of the sea city.

In La Spezia you can enjoy the atmosphere of the fishing towns

heritage rich history, which are carefully stored here, will allow you to touch antiquity, as well as look into the most interesting old villages.

Local nature will let you enjoy amazing views seas. And the opportunity to combine this with a unique cuisine makes the rest here simply unforgettable.

Crystal clear sea on one side and picturesque green hills on the other, and between them there is a narrow strip of land on which Spezia is located, taking a very convenient and advantageous position in all respects. It is no coincidence that the city is a major port center; trade and military ports are located nearby.

Spice (La Spezia)) - a city with an area of ​​52 sq. km and a population of about 95 thousand people on the Ligurian coast of Italy, the capital of the province of the same name. The city is located in the very east of Liguria, just a few kilometers from the border with Tuscany, on the coast of the sea bay, which is called the Gulf of Spice (Golfo della Spezia), another name is the Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti) . The second name behind the bay was fixed thanks to the visits of poets, writers, artists, actors to these places, attracted by the beauty of the "water amphitheater". Among the frequent guests of Spice were David Herbert Lawrence, George Sand, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and many other creative personalities of Italy and Europe. The bay is surrounded by a chain of hills and mountains, the highest of which, Mount Verrugoli, 750 meters high, is located on western outskirts Spices.

Gulf of Spice. Photocasedamare. it

Commercial and military ports of Spice. Photflickr.com

History of Spice

For the first time the name Spice is mentioned in the document "Spezam" of 1256, there are many scientific hypotheses about its origin, of which the main one has not been singled out. The article "La" was abolished several times and appeared in front of the name of the city, until in 1926 the city council fixed it by order official name city ​​- La Spezia.

Night view of La Spezia. Photoincinqueterre.com

As follows from the archaeological finds of the Bronze and Iron Ages, the territory of modern La Spezia was already inhabited in the prehistoric era. Later, settlements of the Ligurian tribes appeared here, which in 155 BC. were conquered by the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus and became a colony of Rome.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century, Spezia was attacked by the Germanic tribes of the Heruls and Goths, and with the end of the Byzantine-Gothic wars in the middle of the 6th century, the territory of modern Spice came under Byzantine rule, becoming part of the Italian Exarchate - the Byzantine province on the Apennine Peninsula.

In 642, the region of La Spezia was conquered by the Longobards, after the fall of the kingdom of the Longobards in 773, the territory came under the rule of the King of the Franks, Charles I the Great. In 860 Spezia was sacked by the Vikings, in the same century it had to endure devastating raids by the Saracens, which led to the complete decline of the region.

Gradually, the inhabitants begin to move here neighboring cities, and in X-XI centuries a fortified city is formed on a hill, which by the middle of the 12th century came under the rule of Genoa. By this time, Spezia had become an important commercial center. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the city reaches its peak, due to which in 1343, at the behest of the first Genoese Doge Simone Boccanegra, the podestat of La Spezia is formed, which, however, by the end of the XIV century, after the continuous struggle of Genoa and Venice, ceases to exist, and Spezia passes ruled by the Milanese Visconti dynasty.

In the 15th century, the city continued to develop as a major shopping mall. In 1654, in order to give a new impetus to the trade direction, the Republic of Genoa allows Jews to settle in La Spezia, new markets and exchange fairs appear in the city. In 1797, with the fall of the Republic of Genoa, La Spezia became part of the Ligurian Republic, which in 1805 came under the protectorate of France. With the end of Napoleon's power, Spezia passes to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

By the time of the unification of Italy in 1861, there were about 6 thousand inhabitants in La Spezia. The city begins to develop rapidly tourist centre, in the 19th century, members of the royal family often came here on vacation. By 1901, about 73 thousand people lived in La Spezia.

Embankment of Spice. Photoincinqueterre.com

Attractions Spices

Fortress of St. George(Castello di San Giorgio) stands on the top of the Colle del Poggio, overlooking the bay. It was built in 1262 and originally served as a shelter during the wars for both soldiers and townspeople. To this day, almost nothing remains of the original structure of the fortress; over the centuries, it has been repeatedly restored and restored. Currently, the fortress houses an archaeological museum.

Fortress of St. George. Photoguideturisticheliguria.eu

Museum of the Navy(Museo Tecnico Navale) is considered the largest museum of its kind in Italy. The museum has more than 150 models Italian ships, about 2,500 awards, 6,500 relics, including a collection of ship figureheads of the XV-XVII centuries, thousands of historical and technical documents.

The museum is located next to the main entrance to the Arsenal of La Spezia, founded by the first Prime Minister of Italy, Cavour, in 1862. The Arsenal is operational, employing more than 1,000 civilians and 200 military personnel.

Museum of the Navy. Photoottante.it

Some of the exhibits maritime museum. Photomarion line. it

Ethnographical museum (Museo Civico Etnografico), named after the traveler, naturalist, ethnographer Giovanni Podenzan, tells about the life, folk traditions and customs of the people who inhabited the Lunigiana region in the 18th-20th centuries.

IN Museum "Amedeo Lia"(Museo Civico “Amedeo Lia”), which opened in 1996, contains a collection of 1,100 paintings and miniatures by artists from Italy and other countries of the 13th-18th centuries, sculptures and objects from antiquity, the Middle Ages and the present. Almost all the exhibits of the museum were donated to the city by the collector Amedeo Lia. The museum is located in the premises of the former Franciscan monastery of the 18th century.

IN Center for Contemporary Art(Centro d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea) presents a large collection of paintings of the XIX century, the work of the Impressionists and representatives of the avant-garde direction of painting. The center hosts exhibitions, seminars, art meetings.

City Park or, more precisely, the garden, rich in its botanical diversity, here you can see palm trees, firs, oaks, cedars, magnolias, roses and many other plants. The first park in La Spezia was laid out in 1825, by the end of the 19th century it had expanded to almost modern sizes. The park is decorated with numerous sculptures, among which there is a monument in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Urban a park. Photonoidelteatro.blogspot.it

What to try in La Spezia

Locally produced olive oil and black pepper are the invariable components of most culinary recipes Spice, among which the most popular is "meshua", which in the local dialect means "mixture" - a soup of beans, wheat and chickpeas.

Among the typical Spice dishes are delicious cakes, which are baked only here; chickpea flour stew; "sgabei" - fried yeast dough cakes filled with cheese, ham, or, in a sweet version, cream or chocolate; stuffed pumpkin flowers; vegetable casseroles. In the Spezia suburb of Pitelli, especially tasty ravioli with meat, potatoes and herbs are prepared, and Campiglia is famous for growing saffron.

Sgabei from Spice. Photouniversocucina.com

Pumpkin flowers stuffed with soft goat cheese. Photonerodiseppiae.blogspot.it

Spice is known for its fish market where you can find freshly caught seafood every morning. It is no coincidence that one of the local specialties is stuffed mussels, which are specially bred here.

Steep cliffs, pine forests, romantic bays and beautifulbeaches - everything here breathes beauty and preaches splendor.

Lerici, Porto Venere, Palmaria Island, the islets of Tino and Tinetto and the city La Spezia, the "queen" of a beautiful bay...

La Spezia (ital. La Spezia - The largest city the beautiful Gulf of Poets, which is often overlooked by travelers, perhaps because it is surrounded by the most famous resorts Ligurian coast. However, the town of La Spezia, today becoming a "transit point" for foreigners who are heading to the Cinque Terre, "suffers" undeservedly, because once it was adored by writers and poets, the English lyricist Percy Shelley especially liked to visit here, calling La Spezia "Blue city ​​of dreams and love"...

The city is located in the very east, just a few kilometers from the border with, on the coast of the sea bay, which is called the Gulf of Spice (Golfo della Spezia), another name is the Gulf of Poets (Golfo dei Poeti). The second name behind the bay was fixed thanks to the visits of poets, writers, artists, actors to these places, attracted by the beauty of the "water amphitheater". Among the frequent guests of Spice were David Herbert Lawrence, George Sand, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and many other creative personalities of Italy and Europe. The bay is surrounded by a chain of hills and mountains, the highest of which, Mount Verrugoli, 750 meters high, is located on the western edge of La Spezia.

Gulf of Spice. Thinkstock Photos

How to get to La Spezia?

By plane

La Spezia. Photo flickr.com

By car

In addition, public transport passes through La Spezia. car roads SS-1 (Aurelia), SS-62 (Sartzana -) and SS-63 (Massa - Verona).

By train

La Spezia. Photo flickr.com

By sea

In the spring and summer, passenger sea transport runs, connecting La Spezia with the ports of Genoa, Portofino, Lerici, Portovenere, Palmaria Island, and the National Park.

Where to stay in La Spezia?

After the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 5th century, La Spezia was attacked by the Germanic tribes of the Heruls and Goths, and with the end of the Byzantine-Gothic wars in the middle of the 6th century, the territory of modern Spice came under Byzantine rule, becoming part of the Italian Exarchate - the Byzantine province on the Apennine Peninsula.

In 642, the region of La Spezia was conquered by the Longobards, after the fall of the kingdom of the Longobards in 773, the territory came under the rule of the King of the Franks, Charles I the Great. In 860, La Spezia was sacked by the Vikings, in the same century she had to endure devastating raids by the Saracens, which led to the complete decline of the region.

Gradually, the inhabitants of neighboring cities began to move here, and in the X-XI centuries, a fortress city was formed on a hill, which by the middle of the XII century came under the rule of Genoa. By this time, La Spezia became an important commercial center. In the XIII-XIV centuries, the city reaches its peak, due to which in 1343, at the behest of the first Genoese Doge Simone Boccanegra, the podestat of Spezia is formed, which, however, by the end of the XIV century, after the continuous struggle of Genoa and Venice, ceases to exist, and La Spezia passes under the rule of the Milanese Visconti dynasty.

In the 15th century, the city continued to develop as a major trading center. In 1654, in order to give a new impetus to the trade direction, the Republic of Genoa allows Jews to settle in La Spezia, new markets and exchange fairs appear in the city. In 1797, with the fall of the Republic of Genoa, La Spezia became part of the Ligurian Republic, which since 1805 came under the protectorate of France. With the cessation of Napoleon's power, La Spezia passes to the Kingdom of Sardinia.

By the time of the unification of Italy in 1861, there were about 6 thousand inhabitants in La Spezia. The city began to actively develop as a tourist center; in the 19th century, members of the royal family often came here for vacation. By 1901, about 73 thousand people lived in La Spezia.

new bridge in La Spezia . Photo flickr.com

Attractions La Spezia

Fortress of St. George

(Castello di San Giorgio)

It is from here that you should start your visit to La Spezia, because from the top of the Colle del Poggio hill, on which the castle of San Giorgio proudly stands, opens great view throughout the city and its bay. The fortress was built in 1262 and originally served as a shelter during the wars for both soldiers and townspeople.

Castello San Giorgio acquired its final appearance, which can still be admired today, in 1607, when the observation towers were completed and the outer walls were strengthened.

To this day, almost nothing remains of the original structure of the fortress; over the centuries, it has been repeatedly restored and restored. Currently, the fortress houses an archaeological museum, and next to the fortress there is a beautiful park.

Fortress of St. George. Photo guideturisticheliguria.eu

Museum of the Navy

(Museo Tecnico Navale)

Viale Amendola, 1

The Maritime Museum is considered the largest museum of its kind in Italy. The museum displays more than 150 models of Italian ships, about 2,500 awards, 6,500 relics, including a collection of ship figureheads from the 15th-17th centuries, thousands of historical and technical documents.

The museum is located next to the main entrance to the Arsenal of La Spezia, founded by the first Prime Minister of Italy, Cavour, in 1862. The Arsenal is operational, employing more than 1,000 civilians and 200 military personnel.

Museum of the Navy. Photo ottante.it

Some of the exhibits of the maritime museum. Photo mareonline.it

Villa Marmory

The residence of the Marmori family was built in 1923 by the architect Franco Oliva; considered one of the finest examples of Ligurian floral architecture, it is located on Via XX Settembre.

The frescoes and stuccoes that still adorn the villa are by Luigi Agretti, while the paintings specially commissioned for the halls of the villa are the work of Diskovolo and Ferri (the canvases are now in the local museum). Pay attention to the stained-glass windows of the villa, created by Beltrame, very beautiful, made with a special technique, filtering and scattering sunlight between the rooms and halls of the villa.

Since 1984, Villa Marmori has sheltered in its halls the Academy of Music. Giacomo Puccini.

Villa Marmory. Photo zonzofox.com

Cathedral of Cristo Re

Impressive temple overlooking central square Europe is located on a small hill where the Capuchin monastery was once located.

In 1929, a competition was held to build a new cathedral to replace the church of Santa Maria Assunta. The winner of the competition was the architect Brennero Del Giudice, but his project was frozen until 1956, and then completely changed by the architect Adalberto Libera and during the implementation original project was partially revised by Cesare Galeazzi. The temple was consecrated only in 1975.

The interior of the temple is very beautiful: twelve massive columns with the names of the apostles surround the altar and pulpit, made by the sculptor Leah Godano from marble quarried in the Apuan Alps. The church is not decorated with traditional frescoes, the walls in the initial project were supposed to be decorated with mosaics, which were never realized. Inside the cathedral are the remains of San Venerio, patron saint of the bay, San Terenzo and Sant'Eutichiano, the ancient bishops of Luni.

Cathedral of Cristo Re. Photo flickr.com

Church of Santa Maria Assunta

Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta

Abbey Church of Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral La Spezia - stands on Piazza Beverini. Its construction dates back to the thirteenth century and is the oldest church in the city.

The church was heavily damaged during the bombings of World War II. After the war, in 1954, it was restored and equipped with a new facade. main entrance The church is decorated with 8 relief images of works of mercy. Adjacent to the church are the Chapel of Mercy, the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.

The church keeps many interesting artistic and historical testimonies: the terracotta "Coronation of the Virgin" by Andrea della Robbia, the icon "The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew" by Luca Cambiaso, the 1642 canvas by Giovanni Battista Casone, the baptismal font of the 16th century, marble statues Our Lady and St. Anthony, as well as the sarcophagi in which the remains of the commander of the papal fleet Baldassarre Byass and his wife are buried.

Church of Santa Maria Assunta. Photo flickr.com

Church of Saints Giovanni and Augustine

Chiesa dei Santi Giovanni e Agostino

The church, which is located behind Piazza San Augustino, was built in the sixteenth century as a burial place for the dead of the poor. Outwardly, an unremarkable building keeps rich baroque decoration within its walls.

The interior of the temple consists of a single nave, 40 meters long, covered with rich baroque decoration, which was often restored and retouched in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. No particularly valuable works of art are stored inside, but visitors will be interested to take a look at the ancient crucifixes of the 18th century, the 16th-century altarpiece by Bernardino Lanino and the 1823 organ created by the Serassi brothers.

Church organ. Photo flickr.com

Palazzo Crozza

Along Corso Cavour is the Palazzo Crozza, the historic residence of the noble Crozza family, built in the mid-nineteenth century.

Classic and elegant, the palace showcases to visitors a beautiful façade and an equally beautiful, ornate interior. Today it houses the headquarters of the city archive, which contains historical documents from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. The upper floor of the palazzo, resplendent with two large halls and a luxurious front staircase, contains an interesting collection of paintings belonging to the collections of Luigi Agretti, currently hosting the public reading room of the "Ubaldo Mazzini" library.

Palazzo Castrucci. Photo flickr.com

Fish market

Square Piazza cavour

A fish (and gastronomic) market is held every morning on Place Cavour, under the vaults of a large roofed structure that turns into a haven for antique stalls on the first Sunday of the month. The market is divided into two parts: on one side of the square there are only fishmongers, while on the other side you will find stalls with fruits, vegetables, cheeses, spices, herbs and flowers. There are many bakeries, bars, pubs, restaurants, shops and main museums around the square. In general, this is a place that is definitely worth a visit.

Fish market. Photo flickr.com

Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Olmo

Santuario della Madonna dell'Olmo

Sanctuary of the Madonna del Olmo is located on the slopes of Mount Santa Croce, on picturesque hill overlooking the village of Fabiano, on the western side of the Gulf of Poets, at an altitude of about 280 meters above sea level. The sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady was built in 1844. This sacred place for pilgrims is located just a few kilometers (about three) from the center of La Spezia. The small unremarkable church inside contains many treasures: as an example, let's take a church altar, made in the Baroque style, and a beautiful image of the Madonna dell'Olmo, kept in the sanctuary. To get to the church, you must take the SP530 provincial highway, turn (almost immediately) onto via sant "andrea and climb Mount Santa Croce.

Verdi Square

Piazza Verdi

This is one of the most important squares in the city. Many famous Palazzo La Spezia are located here: Palazzo delle Poste, built in the neo-fascist style, Palazzo degli Studi, where the Classical Lyceum is currently located, and - on the corner between Via Vittorio Veneto and Piazza Verdi - the Prefectural Palace and the Palazzo della Provincia.

Piazza Verdi. Photo flickr.com

Ethnographical museum

(Museo Civico Etnografico)

Ethnographical museum, bearing the name of the traveler, naturalist, ethnographer Giovanni Podenzan, tells about the life, folk traditions and customs of the people who inhabited the Lunigiana region in the 18th-20th centuries.

Amedeo Lia Museum

Museo Civico d "arte antica, medievale i moderno "Amedeo Lia"

Via Prione, 234

The museum was opened in 1996 thanks to donations from patron Amedeo Lia and his family. The museum collection contains more than 1100 works of art - from icons to jewelry; from objects of liturgical cult to paintings by famous Italian painters, starting from the thirteenth century, such as Giotto and his students, Bernardo Daddi, Duccio, Pietro Lorenzetti, Simone Martini, Lippo Memmi, Sano di Pietro, Taddeo di Bartolo, Bicci di Lorenzo , Fra Angelico, Romanino, Veronese, Titian and others. In the museum you can also see many beautiful sculptures made of wood, bronze and marble.

Museum Amedeo Lia. Photo flickr.com

Modern Art Museum

Centro Arte Moderna e Contemporanea della Spezia (CAMEC)

Piazza Cesare Battisti

Opened in 2004, the Camec Museum occupies three floors, which house three independent collections - Cozzani, Battolini and "Premio del Golfo". The Giorgio Cozzani collection contains more than 1200 sculptures and canvases donated to the museum by a patron in 1998. Most of the presented works belong to abstractionism, surrealism and expressionism. The next collection, once owned by the Battolini couple, includes 500 works by contemporary artists from around the world. The third collection is constantly updated with works that have won the CAMEC painting competition, "Premio del Golfo", which takes place every two years. Today the exposition contains more than 300 exhibits.

Lerici Castle Museum

Museo Castello di Lerici

Piazza San Giorgio, Lerici, La Spezia

Lerici Castle is a polygonal fort that, perched on a high rocky promontory, dominates the town of Lerici, located near La Spezia. The castle was built in 1152 and went through numerous renovations by the engineers of the maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa, who fought over the castle due to its strategic location. Only in 1555 did the castle begin to take on a modern appearance, so that today it appears before the eyes of visitors as the quintessence of various architectural styles- from Genoese to Gothic.

On the ground floor of the castle of Lerici is the chapel of St. Anastasia, luxuriously decorated with black and white Ligurian marble.

In 1998, the fort was restored to house a paleontological museum, where you can visit a good dinosaur exhibition that will appeal to both children and adults.

Museum of the Castle of San Giorgio

Via XXVII Marzo

The recently restored castle houses an archaeological museum that contains relics from ancient times. On the ground floor there is a collection of archaeological finds belonging to the Neolithic and Eneolithic eras, in which you can admire the ancient stone statues Lunigiana (anthropomorphic sculptures that marked the territory, decorated precious stones and weapons), finds from the Iron Age and the Bronze Age, finds from the necropolis. The top floor is dedicated to ancient Roman and medieval period. For the most part, these are materials from the Fabricotti collection: architectural elements, statues, portraits, mosaics.

City Park

The city park or, more precisely, the garden, is rich in its botanical diversity, here you can see palm trees, firs, oaks, cedars, magnolias, roses and many other plants. The first park in La Spezia was laid out in 1825, by the end of the 19th century it had expanded almost to its present size. The park is decorated with numerous sculptures, among which there is a monument in honor of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

City Park. Photo noidelteatro.blogspot.it

What to see near La Spezia?

While in La Spezia, be sure to visit the Cinque Terre, a property world heritage UNESCO, as well as Portovenere, located in the Gulf of Poets, and the nearby islands of Isole di Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.

You can drive to medieval city Sarzana with his majestic castle and nearby Varese Ligure with its ancient streets and wonderful cheese market.

Lerici. Thinkstock Photos

"Bay of Poets"

The wide and deep bay of the Ligurian Sea has been called the "Gulf of Poets" since 1919, when the playwright Sam Benelli wrote his most important work, "The Supper of Ridicule", while relaxing in a luxurious villa overlooking the sea in San Terenzo (Lerici).

It got its nickname "Bay of Poets" because over the centuries many poets, writers and artists, fascinated by the beauty and romance of these lands, drew inspiration for their best works.

Rainbow over the Gulf of Poets. Photo flickr.com

The bay borders the municipalities of Portovenere, La Spezia and Lerici, charming towns overlooking the sea, surrounded by green hills.

On the border of Liguria and Tuscany is located natural Park Montemarcello Magra, rich not only in natural, but also in cultural and historical values.

In addition, admire the natural beauty of Caprione Caprione, the ideal starting point for many excursions, and visit botanical garden Montemarcello.

Festivals in La Spezia

Bright traditional festival Palio del Golfo(Palio del Golfo) takes place on the first Sunday of August and consists of a boating competition between 13 borgos located in the "Bay of Poets". After the award of the palio, the celebration continues with musical performances, gastronomic fairs and theater performances under open sky. The Boat Regatta has been held annually since 1929 as part of the Levanto Maritime Festival. Thousands of tourists come to see the colorful spectacle every year.

Palio del Golfo. Photo flickr.com

San Giuseppe Fair(Fiera di San Giuseppe:) is held for three days, starting March 19, in honor of the feast of St. Joseph.

This annual fair of food and non-food products gathers about 1000 participants and many guests.

What to try in La Spezia?

Locally produced and black pepper are the invariable components of most culinary recipes Spice, among which the most popular is "meschua", which in the local dialect means "mixture" - a soup of beans, wheat and chickpeas.

Among the typical Spice dishes are delicious cakes, which are baked only here; chickpea flour stew; "sgabei" - fried yeast dough cakes filled with cheese, ham, or, in a sweet version, cream or chocolate; stuffed pumpkin flowers; vegetable casseroles. In the Spezia suburb of Pitelli, especially tasty ravioli with meat, potatoes and herbs are prepared, and Campiglia is famous for growing saffron.

Sgabei from Spice. Photo universocucina.com

Pumpkin flowers stuffed with soft goat cheese. Photo nerodiseppiae.blogspot.it

La Spezia is known for its fish market, where you can find freshly caught seafood every morning. It is no coincidence that one of the local specialties is stuffed mussels, which are specially bred here.

Spices worth noting are the white Colli di Luni DOC and Cinque Terre DOC.